KABUL: Afghan children from the Mobile Mini Circus for Children (MMCC) sing in Kabul. A German-Canadian couple decided to do a 2-month road trip from Kabul to Istanbul in a rickshaw. Their aim is to raise funds for an Afghan social circus, which supports kids harmed by the 3-decades conflict taking place in Afghanistan. The 'rickshaw circus' will drive 8.000 km until Istanbul, and will give shows along the way to children in need. -AFP ...

ITALY: Tourists sunbathe as salvage team members work at the rock on the side of the Costa Concordia cruise ship near the harbour of Giglio Porto on July 12, 2012. Salvage crews began work on preparations to refloat the half-submerged Costa Concordia cruise liner in what is set to be the biggest ever operation of its kind. The cruise liner, operated by Carnival Corp's Costa Cruises unit, capsized off the Tuscan island of Giglio after ...

KUMAMOTO: Vehicles are piled-up in a residential area covered in mud after heavy rains fell at Kumamoto city in Japan's southern island of Kyushu on July 12, 2012. At least six people died, 18 were missing and 50,000 ordered to evacuate as the heaviest rainfall on record pounded the southwestern Japanese island of Kyushu, officials and reports said on July 12. -AFP ...

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan journalists protesting harassment of media personnel and independent websites stage a demonstration in Colombo on July 12, 2012. The demonstration came as Sri Lanka announced new laws to crack down against opposition news portals. -AFP ...